Origin returns after a lead singer lineup shakeup, replacing James Lee with ex-Skinless singer Jayson Keyser (even though bassist Mike Flores and guitarist Paul Ryan split the workload behind the microphone here) with their most cohesively written album to date. Donít fret, tech heads, this Kansas clan of chaos still whips up a flurry of blistering guitar and bass explosions with the usual masterful display of skill firing at peak levels on the 11-track ENTITY. Only this time around, a stronger emphasis is placed on song structure than sheer shred across the board, rendering a decisively less clinical aura than expected with an enhanced sense of dynamics that allows Origin to explore new terrain without sacrificing their most revered characteristics. www.nuclearblastusa.com
- Mike SOS